New USFWS Leader Worked on Texas Issues

UNDATED — A former regional director who has a long history of working on Texas conservation issues has been tapped to become the new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Washington DC.

President Bush said he intends to nominate H. Dale Hall to serve as Director of the USFWS. The announcement is subject to confirmation by the U.S. Senate, once the official nomination is made by the President.

A 27-year career employee, Hall has served in Albuquerque as the Southwest Regional Director of the Service since 2001.

“We’ve have worked closely with Dale Hall and the USFWS folks on many wildlife conservation issues in Texas and across the southwest,” said Robert Cook, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s executive director. “He is absolutely sincere about the need to work cooperatively with private landowners and state conservation agencies and organizations. He respects private property rights and recognizes the ability and willingness of private landowners to conserve fish and wildlife species and habitat. The USFWS is fortunate to have highly professional, competent and experienced employees like Dale Hall in their organization. They could not have made a better choice for the Director of the US Fish and Wildlife Service and we are looking forward to continuing our great working relationship with their organization.”

Hall said he was humbled and honored. “I’m looking forward to this position and to using my experience to lead our outstanding employees in finding science-based, cooperative solutions to the tough issues before the Fish and Wildlife Service.”

Hall’s experience includes a term as Deputy Regional Director in Atlanta and one as Assistant Regional Director for Ecological Services in Portland. He started his career with the Service in 1978 when he did field work in wetlands ecology in Vicksburg, Miss. He continued in ecological services in Galveston and Houston where he worked as Outer Continental Shelf Coordinator with responsibility to work with Minerals Management Service to protect sensitive areas in the Western Gulf of Mexico. He was also the office supervisor in Texas for four years. Along his career path he also worked as Deputy Assistant Director for Fisheries in Washington, D.C.

A native of Harlan, Ky., Hall served in the Philippines and Italy during his time with the U.S. Air Force. Hall also has private sector experience having managed catfish farms in the Mississippi Delta after returning to civilian life. His education includes a bachelor’s degree in biology and chemistry from Cumberland College in Kentucky and a master’s in fisheries science from Louisiana State University. Hall has been honored with the Department of the Interior’s Meritorious Service Award.

KE 2005-07-25

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